262, TheDefire ofthe Saints, the (rains, and contaminations that are in thefoul; this is the beauty andcomcline(s of a Chriftian. How lovely were the Ninivites ? how glorious was the King MI fackcloth, fitting hihis throne of deft and allies ? what were his Robesof Majeflyl and Royalty to thefe ornaments, they might dazle the eyes of the body for a time, their dazle the eyes of the mind, even at this day, after fo many hundred years ; they might procure himhonour with men, theft made him honouredbyGod hina (elf.' Let corporal eyes lookupon an abject, and mean appearanceof a King in thefe weeds, yet do not fpiritual eyes fee through thefe garments, Humility, Pa- tience, Submiflion, Fear of God, and the like: andare there any Jewels like now thefe ? what are thole garments which are the labour of a worm, to thefe robes that are the works of Gods Spirit ? What is achain of Pearl, to a chain of warm and fucceffivetears, beaten out of the rocks ofa brokenand contrite heart? they may adorn the body, this adorns the foul ; and which is more, binds the hands of God himfelf. Let whofe will admire theviâories and triumphs ofDavidover the enemies of Ifrael, which are indeed worthy ofadmiration : I admire him in his watchings, and faftings, and fackcloth: by them he overcame flefh andblood ; by thefe he overcame God ; by them he overcame men, by their he madeconqueft of himfelf ; by them he enlarged the territories of 'frail, by thefe he enlarged the bounds of heaven ; by them he made Hadedeter fly, by thefe he made the Angel put up his fword, and God to reverfe his fentence ; by them he did re- move temporal evils ; by thefe he did procure everlafting good unto himfelfand others. This is that humiliation which this facred time requires, not abflinence onely frommeats which pamper thiscarkafs:this is not the body ofthisfaft,but a ve- hetnentintention of religious duties aboveother times : he that prayed twice a-day before,let him nowdo it (even times : he that farted but once in the week, let him now do it three times, or oftuer, as his body will permit him, though it be to the ficknefs ofthe body, it is an happy ficknefs of thebody,which is thefan&ity ofthe foul : he that gave Aimes a little, let him now double, or treble his liberality : he that did delight before in recreations, let himdevote that time to prayer , to hu- miliation : do not our fins require this ? our own fins ? the fins of others ? if not our own miferies (for which webiefs God) yet do not the miferies ofother Nations, the Churches ofGod require this ? Do we not now beat our breaffs,, and hang down our heads, and rend our hearts, and puni(h our felves for our fins, that Godmay not punifh them ? Did not our fins call upon us for this du- ty, yet is not the fight of God, the prefencc of our Saviour, the joyes of Hea- ven, the equality with the Angels, the glory of a Kingdome worthy a tear, a groan, a fgh, a fait, are they now fo contemptible or mean, that no violence is requifte ? with what face (hall we appear before our Saviour at his Tribunal, when he (hall demand of us his tears, his watchings and faftings ? when he. ¡hall fay unto us, where are my tears ? are they water fpilt upon theground, not to be gathered up ? Where are my fighs and groans, have they vanilhed in the air ? where are my watchings ? what not a tear, for fo many tears ? not' I a fait, for fo many faits ? not a groan for fo many miferies which I induced? Had I flied brit one tear, fhould it not have broken up a fountain oftears in thee ? Had I fetched but one f1gh, fhould it not have made thy life a perpetual figh But when I have done fo much for thy fake, (hall it be loft ? wilt thou do no- thing for thy own (elf? ¡hallIcaft fomuch feed into theground, and reapnothing again. Oh my beloved , what are all our afllietions s what are all the af$iâions of our felves, to the leaft drop of gall that he tailed, to the leali (courge which he fitffered ? how can we fay that either we loved God or our (elves , if we do not thefe things in teftimony of this. If ye (hall not perform theft duties, it is a fmall comfort for us, that we have freed our fouls ? it is your falvati- on we thirft after, and fay in a better fenfe, then the King of Sodom ; Da no-' bis anima, , 'Give io your flub: andwithout this we have no comfort, we may be acquitted at the bar of God, but we ¡hall not becrowned in hisThrone ; for what is our crown, but you that hear us ; bile if you ¡hall thus groan , as I. doubt
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